THE METHOD OF OBSERVATION IN SCIENCE LESSONS: GROWING OF DIFFERENT PLANTS IN THE SAME CONDITIONS

Abstract

A Natural Science Education is important to every human being because it helps us to understand the surrounding world, realise the systems and processes of care of the life in our environment. It helps to apply the knowledge in our everyday routines and in professional activities responsibly. The learning (studying) is knowledge, observation and experiments. The observation complements the theoretical knowledge, develops the abilities to apply them in practice. Accomplishing the observations, students experience the joy of discovering. (Gurevičiūtė.1998). Observation gives the knowledge about the nature and it helps students to recognize and discover themselves. It develops the scientific thinking and work skills. On purpose to engage students in the educational materials and to achieve the results what the teaching curriculum demands the teacher is supposed to find different methods and ways of teaching and education which the expectative results could bring. The research material of National students’ achievements motivates to search for the new working forms with students. With reference to the conclusions of the research material of National students’ achievements (2006) it’s true to say students can’t apply their knowledge in practice and in real life. One of the ways to solve this problem is the cognitive education of students’ abilities – the practical activities in the educational process. Choosing this way a teacher needs to work untraditionally: to involve students into the process of the education and observation, to act together in the exploratory and wait its results; to fix, observe, analyse, communicate and collaborate. Every teacher concerns that his/her subject would be interesting and attractive to a student. He or she wants the teaching material could be visual, fitting for a child‘s age, comprehensible, interesting and delightful with the final results. During the practice of my work I notice that the effective teaching and good results could be achieved while studying one theme some teaching methods of practical activities are applied; and one of them is when a student could teach contemporaries. Students are active all the time applying such methods of practical activities; and the learning doesn’t become long and boring. It motivates to concern with how the cognitive process would develop further. The reflection of students gives nice results as well: students can explain in their own words what the observation they did; they can analyse and make conclusions. In this article we have presented one example of the practical teaching method – observation in Science lessons. Accomplishing the observation we consolidate knowledge about the sowing, growing and care of plants; theoretical knowledge was applied in practice. We have learnt to observe, fix proceedings and make conclusions. Advantages of practical activities and observations are the increase of the motivation of students and the improved education of their different capacities and competences. It is more interesting to work personally. The proper preparation for the practical activities leads to more effective work. The tasks have to fit the level of knowledge and abilities of students. Students have to understand what they are doing. So the tasks must be concrete and formulated clearly. A perfect knowledge of the subject is necessary for the proper preparation. Accomplishing observations the gifted students must be encouraged to share their works with the other contemporaries and participate in the conferences and contests. Key words: natural science education, the method of observation, practical activities, motivation, knowledge and abilities.